Matilda the Musical Finds Four Actresses to Share Title Role on Broadway

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15 Nov 2012

Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon, Sophia Gennusa and Milly Shapiro

Photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Young actresses Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro will share the title role in the Broadway production of Matilda The Musical, producers announced Nov. 15. The Olivier Award-winning musical will arrive on Broadway in March 2013.

Each actress will make her Broadway debut in the production that will begin previews March 4, 2013, and officially open April 11, 2013, at the Shubert Theatre. The original London production also utilizes four actresses who alternate in the title role. They earned a shared Olivier Award for their work.

Gennusa, Laurence, Ryon and Shapiro will join Olivier Award winner Bertie Carvel, who earned acclaim for originating the role of Miss Trunchbull in the London production of Matilda. He will repeat his performance for Broadway audiences.

Matilda has a book by Dennis Kelly and a score by Tim Minchin. Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage, The Norman Conquests, Boeing-Boeing, La Bête, Ghost) directs.

Matilda premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Courtyard Theatre in November 2010 and later transferred to the West End's Cambridge Theatre, where it continues to run. The RSC and The Dodgers produce the Broadway run of Matilda.

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According to producers, Matilda "is the story of an extraordinary little girl who decides that despite a bad beginning filled with rotten parents, a terrifying school and a vicious head mistress, her story is going to be an astonishing one. With the help of her teacher, her friends and a little bit of imagination, Matilda proves that even if you're little, you can do big things."

The production has set and costume design by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting design by Hugh Vanstone and sound design by Simon Baker.

An original London cast album preserves the infectious score. Matilda earned seven 2012 Olivier Awards including Best Musical and Best Director, as well as Best Actress (for the four young girls who share the titular role).